The Open Meeting for the Beltane Fire Society 2024 Samhuinn Fire Festival will be held on Sunday September 1st 2024 in Binks Hall at the Charteris Centre on Pleasance between 2 and 4:30pm.

For anyone who has never taken part in a BFS festival before, there will be a short pre-meeting chat from 1:30 to explain about the society and how our festivals work – but the most important thing to know is that just about everyone who takes part in them is a volunteer. 

An Open Meeting is an opportunity to hear about all the different performance and production groups available to join for that festival, to find out about the rehearsal schedules and skills required, and to meet the organisers.

The first hour from 2-3pm will include short presentations from various people involved in the organisation of the society and the festival, and each group will have a chance to pitch to the assembled audience to encourage you to join their groups. This will be followed by another hour or so to allow for potential volunteers to talk to group organisers and sign up for more information about future meetings and practices. You are welcome to sign up to as many groups as you like!

We need to have cleared out of Charteris by 5pm, but there will be a chance to carry on conversations afterwards. We have booked space at OX184 on Cowgate after the end of the meeting, and all are welcome to come along. 

Accessibility information: 

The Charteris Centre is located at 138/140 Pleasance, Edinburgh, EH8 9RR. The hall is wheelchair accessible from the main entrance and via a platform lift & has an accessible toilet.

The Open Meeting can be loud and overwhelming, with lots of excited people and sometimes a few drums. You are free to move around, stand at the back, or leave for a while and come back if you need to. Contact information for all the groups will be available on the website after the meeting for those who aren’t able to stay and chat in person.

OX184 is at 184-186 Cowgate, Edinburgh EH1 1JJ. We have space booked on the ground floor, which has an accessible toilet. A large selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks will be available, as well as food for those who want it. 

Useful links:

How to get involved: https://beltane.org/get-involved/

About BFS: https://beltane.org/about/

The Samhuinn 2024 Court

Cailleach: https://beltane.org/2024/08/08/welcome-to-our-cailleach-hannah-mcilhinney/

Summer Queen: https://beltane.org/2024/08/14/welcome-to-our-summer-queen-seraphina/

Winter Queen: https://beltane.org/2024/08/14/welcome-to-our-winter-queen-narma/0